My invention lies in the field of paper napkins and particular provides a combination paper napkin and a holder for an individual place setting of eating utensils.
In most restaurants utilizing bare table tops, after the customers served at a particular table depart the bus boy or waitress clears off the dishes and wipes the bare table top with a damp rag and then sets the table with a place setting of eating utensils and a folded paper napkin for each member of the next group of customers to occupy that table.
Such practice, though widespread, is unsanitary and resented by many people who dislike having to use eating utensils laid directly onto a moist table top which may contain disease carrying contaminants.
The most important object of my invention is to provide sanitary protection of the flatware placed on the tops of tables and counters in restaurants and other establishments serving food to the public.
A further object of my invention is to provide in one package both the paper napkin regularly placed at each table setting and also a protective sheath for holding a single place setting of flatware, usually a knife, a fork and a spoon.
Another object of my invention is to provide a combination napkin and table setting holder made entirely of paper.
Simply stated, my combination napkin and table setting holder consists of a first sheet of absorbent paper in rectangular form approximately twelve inches high by sixteen inches wide. The absorbent sheet contains a single straight line of perforations which divides the sheet into a twelve inch by twelve inch square napkin and a rectangle approximately twelve inches high and four inches wide to which is attached a second sheet of paper having the same width as the rectangle and a height of approximately eight inches with its two opposite sides and its lower edge bonded to the two sides and lower edge of the rectangle to form an open topped pocket designed to receive the knife, fork and spoon or similar utensils forming an individual table setting.
As described, my invention provides an economical means of improving the sanitary conditions in restaurants and other institutions serving food to individuals. The pocket for the table setting and/or the napkin itself can be printed with various advertising matter or decorative designs to enhance the appearance of the device.